<b>Twilight Rendition</b>
~<i>Chapter 1</i>~
<br>
I reclined on the steps, waiting. What I really wanted to do was sit on the swing, but I knew I would just fall flat on my face, like always. There was just something about the freedom of a swing; someone could tell you to get off of it, and even slow you down some. But it would take them a while to make you stop. Then again, I had nearly broken my arm once, jumping from the swing as it reached its peak. Attempting to fly. All I really ended up with was a trip to the doctor and Renée panicking. It wasn’t nearly the last hospital visit, to say the very least. <br>
So when Edward finally pulled up in the Volvo, I sat there reminiscing, elbows on my knees, chin resting in my palm. He was out of the car before I saw the door open, and waiting in front of me before I could stand, my favorite crooked smile hovering on his lips.<br>
His hand reached out for mine, effortlessly lifting me from the stairs.<br>
“Bella,” he sighed, his arms sliding easily around my waist. “Why are you so stubborn?”<br>
I blinked, momentarily dazzled. “Um…”<br>
“Bella?”<br>
“Because,” I murmured, finally realizing how tired I was as I shivered against him, the coldness of his skin seeping through my jacket.<br>
I could feel his laughter, vibrating through every fiber of my body and echoing in my thoughts. “You’re so tired. I’m taking you home.”<br>
I started awake, irritated at his words. “Edward—”<br>
“Bella.” His tone was sharper now, a warning.<br>
“But I don’t want to go home.”<br>
He sighed, obviously breaking down. “But Charlie…”<br>
“I’ll tell him I’m staying the night with Alice.” Charlie had a definite soft spot for Alice, ever since I’d gotten back from Phoenix. Mostly, he was grateful; nothing could have embarrassed Charlie more than helping his teenage daughter do girlish things. Like taking a shower. I had to grin, just imagining his face. <br>
Edward groaned, frustrated at the thoughts flickering over my face. “I would give anything to read your mind. I would trade everyone’s thoughts for yours.” <br>
I smiled. I had heard this rant before, of course. But I had other things to talk about. “Edward, please.” I was practically begging.<br>
Another sigh. “Fine.”<br>
I hugged him even tighter, not even protesting when he picked me up to carry me inside. Jasper and Alice were sitting in the living room, a notebook lying on the table in front of them. As soon as Edward carried me through the doorway, the notebook vanished. Jasper seemed sheepish, and Alice looked aggravated. <br>
Edward glanced at them, frowning as he set me down. Alice opened her mouth to speak, but he shook his head. I gazed at him curiously. <br>
She glared at him, and didn’t even look away as she spoke to me. “Bella. I know that you won’t think it’s my business, but I really think you should consider the consequences of what you’re going to do.”
I blinked, uncomprehending. “Okay, Alice, I will. But…what was it that I was going to do?”<br>
Her eyes widened and flicked to mine, then back at Edward, confused. “It was you, Edward? But I thought…”<br>
He looked down at my shoulder, seemingly busy toying with a stray lock of my hair. “It really isn’t your business, Alice, and I would appreciate it if you let the subject drop.” He glanced pointedly at her, then his cold hand found mine, leading me up the stairs to his bedroom, where he dropped onto the couch, golden eyes following my slow path to his stereo system.<br>
“Edward,” I said evenly, flipping through the CDs in his vast collection.<br>
I could hear him sigh from across the room. He didn’t need to hear my thoughts to know it was coming.<br>
“Not now, Bella.”<br>
I turned to face him, frowning faintly. “Why?”<br>
And then he was behind me, hands resting lightly on my hips. “Because,” he murmured, his lips a cautious inch from my neck.<br>
I shuddered slightly. “Later, then.” <br>
He sighed, dropping his hands from my waist, and fell heavily onto the sofa with eyes closed. <br>
“Edward,” I said softly.<br>
His eyes fluttered open, brow arching delicately. “Bella.”<br>
I made my way over to the couch, settling onto his lap. He lightly traced his fingertips down my jaw line, his lips hesitantly brushing against the hollow of my throat. I leaned into him, my mouth pressed against his for only a second before he was gently pushing me away with an exasperated sigh. <br>
Waiting for my heart to return to its normal beating, I bit my lip, glancing at him. His shining eyes were darker now, caramel instead of the ocher color. And he was watching me. Coldly, intently. My heart began to race again, fear tugging at my mind, screaming at me to run. But even if I could, even if I really wanted to, I would never outrun him.<br>
My lip began to ache, and I could taste the metallic taste of blood in my mouth. I winced, trying not to recall blood tests in Biology class. <br>
Edward froze, turning to marble beneath me. I could feel the change at once, as though all of the air had suddenly been sucked from the room. Again my heart sped. I could hear it, embarrassingly loud, even as Edward reached forward, almost reluctantly. His eyes, glinting darkly, shimmered with need as he held me. He couldn’t have been less human; I couldn’t have looked away. Mesmerizing, hypnotic; I was caught within deep pools of desperation, struggling to break my gaze, and wishing I could stare forever. Finally his lips pressed forcefully against mine, desperate as he found the blood in my mouth. “Edward,” I breathed, hardly more than an exhale. <br>
It was enough. He instantly pulled away, leaving me dazed and mystified. “Edward,” I said again anxiously. He shook his head, sidling out from under me to pace the floor. <br>
“I’m so sorry, Bella.” He wouldn’t even glance at me. “I don’t know what happened. I was fine, and then suddenly…I had to have you. I needed your smell and your…taste,” he finished, his usually silken voice cracking miserably. <br>
As I looked up at him helplessly, finally he looked down. His eyes were still dark, but now also strangely penitent and pleading. <br>
Pitifully, I stood up and met him where he stood by the window. “Edward, we’ve been over this. I’m here, with you. Ultimately, that means I would rather die than live without you.” I hesitated, then continued compellingly, “Eternity with you is my heaven.”<br>
His black eyes locked onto mine, all apologies evaporated, replaced with fury. “No, Bella,” he insisted carefully, enunciating each word. “You will never be immortal. I cannot turn you into this. I will not make you into a monster.”<br>
“Edward—”<br>
“No, Bella,” he repeated, almost coldly. “You will live a normal, human life. And when you are gone, I will find a way to—”<br>
I slapped him then, my palm impacting harshly against his cold cheek. <br>
We stared at each other, both equally stunned, even though it couldn’t have hurt him. But once the shock faded, there was hurt. It was in his even darker eyes, in his fingers as he pressed his hand to his cheek, disbelieving.<br>
I stumbled away from him, sickened and shocked. “I didn’t…I wasn’t…I’m not sorry, Edward,” I whispered feebly, tears welling hopelessly in my eyes and silently spilling down my face. <br>
“Bella,” he murmured, the pain clearly audible in just my name. “Don’t cry, Bella. Please don’t cry…” Hesitantly, he reached up to sweep the tears from my cheek. I flinched as his icy fingertips brushed against my skin, instantly regretting it as he pulled away and appeared at the door. “I’m taking you home,” he said flatly. <br>
“I am home, Edward.” I wandered over to his bed and slid under the blankets. Abruptly I was hidden beneath the softness of the covers, the tears on my face lost on the pillow. <br>
His lips against my ear caught me off guard, and I inhaled sharply. “You are my world, Bella. Your tears hurt me more than your hand does,” he said, seemingly amused.<br>
I sat up and turned to scowl at him. “Why do you have to be so forgiving? It would make me feel so much better if you would just hit me back!”<br>
His smile dissolved. “You know I wouldn’t do that. I can’t. You’re too fragile, Bella.” <br>
“You always say that! Why won’t you prove it, Edward? Why won’t you break me?” <br>
As he looked at me, his face tormented and full of pity, abruptly he seemed all of his hundred years. The purple under his eyes, the paleness of his skin…All of a sudden, he was older and I was still only 18, naïve and simple. I was sorry. I wanted to take it all back, to adopt all of the pain I was causing him and had ever caused him. My eyes threatened to fill again with tears and I looked away. Edward’s arms came around me, cold and unyielding. He was still cautious, though; I could feel it in the way he held me just apart from his body, tucking the blanket between us to keep me from shivering. And, I suspected sadly, to keep him from being tempted. <br>
I tugged the blanket further over my throat, determined to make it as easy as possible for him to be near me. His cool hands gently pushed mine away, pulling the blanket from my neck. With his fingers tentatively pressed against the escalating race of my pulse, he smiled ruefully. <br>
“I’ll behave now.”<br>
I smiled back, though he couldn’t see it because my face was comfortably nestled against his shoulder. <br>
He sighed, and then said softly, “You can go to La Push tomorrow. Just…please be careful, Bella. For me.” <br>
He lifted me away, looking intently at my face, needing to know that I understood. At my expression, he blinked once, and then opened his mouth to speak. I pressed my fingers to his lips, shaking my head.<br>
“I get it, Edward. Against your decidedly superior judgment, you’re allowing me to see Jacob. I appreciate it, but will it make you miserable?”<br>
He smiled slightly, kissing my fingertips as he swept my hand away. “I’m always miserable without you, Bella,” he said faintly.<br>
My heart was breaking. I was almost certain he could hear it shatter, because he looked at me suddenly, concern saturating his flawless features. He was describing how I felt every moment he was gone, and how could he feel the same? How dare he feel the same? There was no fooling myself; I was plain, I was boring. But Edward—my angel, gorgeous and perfect—was telling me that he couldn’t stand being apart from me. It was unfair. <br>
“Edward,” I said reproachfully, “making you miserable does not by any means make me happy.” <br>
He stared at me, his confusion mingled with surprise. “But—”<br>
“It’s okay. I don’t need to go.”<br>
He frowned. “But—”<br>
“Really, Edward, I don’t even care.”<br>
“Well that’s fine, but—”<br>
“Edward, honestly, it’s not—“<br>
“Bella.”<br>
“…Yes, Edward?”<br>
He rolled his eyes. “Just shut up. You’re going to La Push if I have to drag you there myself.”<br>
“Well, okay. I guess I have no choice.” I smiled weakly. I had really only begun the topic to make Edward feel better about me wanting to go to the reservation. But now that it was certain I was going, I had mixed feelings. Since Jacob had returned, there was something different about him. He hadn’t told anyone where he had been, although of course the pack knew, and now there was a strange glint in his eyes. On the rare occasions that I actually saw him, he seemed distant and preoccupied, almost as though he was living through a daydream. It took several tries to get his attention, and even more to get him to answer anything you said, no matter how you screamed in his ear. I tried not to attribute that to the fact that I was marrying Edward. But when Jacob looked at me…there was that betrayed, haunted look in his eyes, always gone before I could be sure it was really there. “But if you change your mind…”<br>
He shook his head. “No such luck. There are things that require my attention tomorrow.”<br>
My head snapped up in alarm. “Things? Like what?”<br>
He grinned. “Wouldn’t you just love to know?”<br>
“Yes,” I muttered, shooting a glare at him that was broken by a yawn. Dimly, I could feel him chuckle as he slid his arm over my waist. I slipped softly into darkness. <br>

<i>End Chapter 1</i>
<b>And more to come.</b>
[Criticism is appreciated. So you know.]

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<b>Abash`d the Devil stood, and saw Virtue in her own shape how lovely; Saw, and pined its loss.</b><br><br><i>Banner by me. Want one? PM me and I'll see what I can do.</i>